How can one make children politically aware?

1. El Proyecto Meninos e Meninas de São Bernardo do Campo (São Paulo, Brasil), motivates street children and adolescents to become leaders in their communities by teaching courses in politics and community education in addition to the arts such as samba. Their secret seems to lie in the commitment of their educators to radical politics. The children study aspects of Marxism, Feminism and Liberation Theology in order to understand their lives and to struggle for their own liberation. Contact Edson, <pmmr-sbc@netstar.com.br>
   
   

1. ADEJUC (Alianza para el Desarrollo Juvenil Comunitario, Guatemala) is a leadership programme for children in which more than 4000 are educators. Local groups are formed in which the children lobby and present petitions to be included in the Convention on the Rights of Children. Older children teach subjects as diverse as improving cattle raising, constructing sewers, empowering women to confront domestic violence, and making Mayan children aware of the values in their own culture.
   Contact Mádel Rodríguez . <adejucsc@guate.net>
   
   

1. Transas do Corpo (Goiánia, Brasil)
   Because this is a leadership training programme for young people, its most outstanding educators are the children themselves who educate each other. Feminism and understanding one´s own body are integral parts of the curriculum. The programme promotes equality between the sexes and prepares children to be political leaders. In addition, Transas do Corpo works for women´s rights reproductive rights and against domestic violence.
   Contact Eliane Gonçalves <lilica@persogo.com.br>
   
   

1. Asociación de Apoyo a los Meninos da Região Sé (São Paulo, Brasil) helps children who have been assisted by other NGOs by making them aware of the political causes of their situation and motivating them to take charge over their own lives.
   Contact Everaldo Santos Oliveira <everoliveira@uol.com.br>
   
   

1. Acción Educativa (Santa Fe, Argentina) conducts projects in art and history to make children aware of what happened during the dictatorship and exhibits their work in the city of Santa Fe. They also teach women and young people about domestic violence and class and gender domination. They research power dynamics in poor schools and promote ways of egalitarian relations.
   Contact Carlos Zagni <accioneducativa@ciudad.com.ar> o Teresa de Kakisu <fliakakisu@ciudad.com.ar>
   
   

1. Taller de Vida (Bogotá, Colombia) empowers refugee children and adolescents by teaching them how to do research on social problems and become peacemakers.
   Contact Haidy Duque, taller@colnodo.apc.org
   
   

1. The democratic training of Benposta, Nacion de Muchach@s (Bogotá, Colombia) trains children to become community leaders. The young people in the project elect their own representatives, sit in a bicameral legislature and negotiate peace treaties between rival gangs who are menacing their communities.
   Benposta, Nación de Muchach@s: benposta@colnodo.apc.org
   
   

1. Pé no Chão y Semente do Amanhã (Recife, Brasil) use local and urban arts to make children aware of their own culture. By learning traditional dances, the Semente dancers also learn about their history: the struggle against slavery and the history of Africa where they have their roots. Pé no Chão uses urban arts to give children a means to struggle against injustice; when there is a violation of human rights on the international level, these young people protest by means of their art.
   Contact Jocimar Borges, penochao@terra.com.br
   Nino Josivão Batista da Silva, sementeamanha@bol.com.br